Some old PC games run errors on Windows XP

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
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saramos64
Posts: 18
Joined: 7. Sep 2020, 22:22

Some old PC games run errors on Windows XP

Post by saramos64 »

I'm running a host MacOS (10.14.6) with guest Windows XP, I've ran this guest for a while with no issues. I have it because I want to re-play a bunch of old PC ROM games I used to own as a kid. I managed to get them all to run eventually one way or another, but recently I sent my computer for repair and I transferred all my info from a backup drive. I ran into a problem with the kernel driver and just uninstalled and re-installed the version of VirtualBox I was using (6.0.10). Now that I'm re-testing all the games and got them to play well, and some now have a few new issues I couldn't figure out how to fix.

These are all games and the issues I ran into:
  • Mike's Monstrous Adventure
Runs well sometimes. Faulty running the game in fullscreen, the resolution messes up and slows the VM. Easy fix, just run the game on 200% scale and not 300%. Sometimes, I was getting an error (not specified) when I installed QuickTime from JS Advanced 2nd Grade. After uninstalling it completely, the game worked again, and then didn't wile it was loaded with another JS (Jumpstart) game. Loaded alone, it works fine.

  • The Wild Thornberrys Movie: The Game
Runs well. Same as above, needs to run on a lower scale to function normally. However, there is no game audio at all, although the intro makes noise.

  • Shrek 2: Activity Center
Crashes on startup with error "DirectDraw initialization failed". Weirdly, does run if 2D Acceleration is disabled, but the VM slows down too much. Using DirectX 9.0c (which is also what the game installs for you and says it need, so I'm technically using what the game wants)

  • Shrek 2
Runs completely fine, just adjust the in-game display setting, no problem.

  • Jumpstart Advanced 2nd Grade
Runs completely fine, no problem.

  • Jumpstart Advanced 2nd Grade: Mystery Club Detective Academy
Runs completely fine, no problem.

  • Jumpstart Adventures 4th Grade: Sapphire Falls
Runs well, but no audio plays at all, unless I exit the game window (like open Task Manager). Then the game runs with no problem. This fix doesn't work on the Thornberrys game.



So the games that are bad that I really want to fix is Thornberrys and Shrek 2: Activity Center.

I wanted to share this in case someone can help work around these issues. These used to not happen before I replaced my computer. I use VB because I like play my personal nostalgic games, that I actually own, and these games don't run on ScummVM so I wanna get them to work like in my old computer back in the day when I was a kid.
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